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milk going bad -- why?

I've been pumping milk, and we find that milk in the refrigerator sometimes acquires a "tangy" taste (not quite bad, but a little off) after less than three days. Has anyone else had this problem? What am I doing wrong?

Re: milk going bad -- why?

It could be something like the temperature in the fridge or the handling of the milk. Be sure your fridge is below 40 degrees F and store the milk in the coldest spot of the fridge so it won't be effected by the temperature changes caused by opening and closing the fridge. Also, assure that your pump parts, bottle, and your hands are VERY clean before expressing the milk.

Re: milk going bad -- why?

How do you handle and store your milk? That might have something to do. Also some mother produce milk high in lipase (an enzyme that breaks down fat in milk). you may notice a rancid smell on the milk, whether the milk is safe or not is not know, but more likely the baby will refuse it. You can inactivate the lipase by heating the milk to a scald (not boiling) right after expressing it, then cool it and freeze it. Treating the milk after it acquired the smell will not help. Hope you find the reason to your problem!